July 2008

Eldoret Village

and surroundings

Eldoret, some 120 miles northwest of Nairobi, suffered some of the worst damage during 2007's post-election riots. My work here entailed workshops at three different schools in and around the village.

Following the violence, more than 20,000 IDP's
(internally displaced persons) were relocated, often to tents
like these. These fairgrounds used to house some 15,000 persons.
Many of them have little to nothing left, and nothing to do.

Police frequently set up stops to check passenger capacity in the many transport vans.
Drivers often pack people in unsafely. I've seen them with people jammed up
against the windows, crouching against the ceiling.

In most of downtown (as well as the rural roads) the rule is:
get there however you can. No stop signs, no traffic signals,
no road markings. Anyone goes anywhere at anytime.

Likewise on the main roads outside of town:
pass on the left, the right, the center. And watch for livestock.
On the road to Chepterit, I did see people going all over the road,
usually to avoid potholes. In lots of sections it was more a matter of
which potholes you preferred.

Bikes, bikes, bikes

Lots of these guys operate bikes as taxis. The pasenger sits on the cushion.
This particular bike is fairly ordinary (though some don't even have a cushion,
just a carrying tray). Lots of them are really pimped out.